Ritsumeikan University Scholarships for International Students 2026

Most of the major scholarships connected to studying at Ritsumeikan (including tuition reduction and many university-handled scholarships) are designed for on-campus enrollment in Japan, not fully online degrees.

Both exist: Ritsumeikan has English-medium degree options (especially for certain international admissions tracks), and it also has many Japanese-taught programs. In the recipient stories, Dinh Khanh An (College of Global Liberal Arts) said “the classes of my college are held in English,” and also noted an “optional” Japanese course.

Even if your program is English-taught, daily life in Japan will still be Japanese-heavy. Chhay LIM reminded applicants that “Japan is not an English-speaking country,” so learning some Japanese can make life much smoother.

It depends on the scholarship. Many university-administered support schemes focus on things like admission evaluation, grades, and eligibility categories rather than age.

However, government scholarships commonly used by Ritsumeikan students can have strict age rules that change by program and year. For example, MEXT categories (undergraduate vs. research/graduate tracks) publish specific age/birthdate requirements, so you’ll want to check the exact guideline for the year and category you’re applying under.

In general, Ritsumeikan scholarships and tuition reductions are not limited to one subject; they can apply across many disciplines as long as you meet the eligibility and selection criteria. Recipient stories show a wide spread: Muhammad Hamza Mehdi pursued Computer Science (AI/Machine Learning), while Chhay LIM pursued International Relations, and Dinh Khanh An studied Global Liberal Arts.

Engineering / STEM: Ritsumeikan offers strong STEM options (e.g., science and engineering departments), and scholarships/tuition reduction commonly apply to international students across these areas if eligible.

Business: Business/Economics-related colleges exist, and scholarships are commonly available broadly (often based on merit/need rather than major).

Humanities: Fields like Letters and Social Sciences are part of Ritsumeikan’s academic structure; scholarships can also apply across these.

Many Ritsumeikan-related scholarships aimed at international students are broadly open to international nationalities, as long as you meet the eligibility rules (such as enrollment/residence status and academic criteria). The recipient stories on Global Scholarships alone include winners from Vietnam, Pakistan, and Cambodia: Dinh Khanh An (Vietnam), Muhammad Hamza Mehdi (Pakistan), and Chhay LIM (Cambodia).

Often yes, but it depends on whether your program is English-taught or Japanese-taught, and whether you qualify for waivers. For English-medium tracks, Ritsumeikan commonly asks for proof of English ability, but may waive it if your recent education was fully in English (depending on the program and rule set).

Real examples from recipients: Muhammad Hamza Mehdi said, “I took the IELTS and scored 8.0 out of 9.0.” On the other hand, Chhay LIM said, “My scholarship did not require certified English test scores if my previous degree was conducted entirely in English,” though he still had to sit written language exams as required by the scholarship route.

For Japanese-taught programs and daily life, Japanese ability helps a lot. Dinh Khanh An also noted he had “zero knowledge of Japanese” when he applied, so it can be possible to start without Japanese in some cases, but it’s still a practical advantage to learn it.

Minimum academic requirements vary by program and admissions route, so there isn’t one universal “minimum grade” that fits every applicant. Some programs use document screening and interviews, and many will evaluate your transcripts in the context of your curriculum.

For scholarships/tuition reduction, the bar can be competitive. For example, some tuition reduction categories are allocated by admissions ranking bands (e.g., top segments of admitted students). In the recipient stories, you can see a range of strong profiles: Dinh Khanh An mentioned a “4.0 GPA,” Chhay LIM reported “GPA…3.5,” and Muhammad Hamza Mehdi listed “CGPA: 3.24/4.00,” alongside research experience and strong test scores.

A “good background” usually combines (1) solid grades, (2) a clear story for why you fit the program, and (3) evidence you’ll thrive (research, projects, leadership, service, etc.). Muhammad Hamza Mehdi emphasized building a research-focused profile and said his second MEXT form included “my research plan, test scores, and future aspirations.”

Dinh Khanh An shows how preparation and storytelling matter: he said, “I recorded every essay idea I had,” and started drafts months before the deadline. Chhay LIM highlighted being active beyond grades: projects, internships, and a clear academic goal can strengthen your case.

It depends on the program, but commonly required items include: graduation/expected graduation certificate, academic transcripts, proof of language proficiency (or waiver materials if applicable), application essays, and letter(s) of recommendation/reference submitted through the application system.

Scholarship routes can add extra documents. For example, Muhammad Hamza Mehdi described scholarship paperwork that included “my research plan, test scores, and future aspirations.” And Dinh Khanh An showed how much weight essays can carry by describing months of drafting and preparation.

Yes. For Ritsumeikan’s English-medium undergraduate application route (submitted online via their designated system), the listed application fee is 5,000 JPY per program. If you apply to multiple programs in the same period, you generally pay the fee for each program you apply to.